Wild places > Central Coast: Regional Map

Carrizo Plain Potential Wilderness

Managing agency: Bureau of Land Management, Bakersfield Office

Size: Approximately 200,000 acres

Location: 45 miles southwest of Bakersfield in San Luis Obispo County.

Description: Recently designated a National Monument, the Carrizo Plain is one of California's most spectacular and unique strongholds of biodiversity. As the name implies, a large portion of the region is a broad valley with rare low-elevation ecosystems, including vernal pools and vast fields of both native bunchgrass and wildflowers. Wilderness designation would maintain its wilderness character.

Wildflower prairies of the Carrizo Plain potential wilderness constitute the largest and best remaining intact examples of the ecosystems that historically dominated much of California's Central Valley.

These fertile lands host a plethora of wildlife including tule elk, pronghorn, sandhill cranes, golden eagles, burrowing owls, and abundant migrating waterfowl.The area also hosts many threatened and endangered species such as the giant kangaroo rat, vernal pool fairy shrimp, blunt-nosed leopard lizard, San Joaquin kit fox, San Joaquin antelope squirrel, and California jewel flower.

The California condor was once common in the area, and may become common again some day if restoration efforts in the adjacent Los Padres National Forest are successful. Native American rock art and other cultural sites also dot the area.

Short trails exist at Soda Lake (an enormous vernal pool) and Painted Rock, but cross-country hiking opportunities abound across broad plains and gentle ridges. The rugged Caliente Mountains, located in the western portion of this potential wilderness, tower over the plains below. Although the area has recently been designated a National Monument, the threat of oil and gas drilling still hangs over the area.

For more information, please contact:
Ilysia Shattuck
Sierra Club
Phone: (310) 386-0455
Email: ilysia.shattuck@sierraclub.org